𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑, iron flame

chapter eight

𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐓𝐘𝐍

"Hey! Would you quit eating in here already!? You're getting crumbs everywhere!" a first year from Second wing shouted, her voice echoing through the dorm as she slammed the door shut behind her. I glanced at the mess on my bedsheets and quickly wiped away the crumbs. Whoops

Letting out a tired sigh, I continued applying the numbing cream that Violet had recommended for my face and stomach. She had approached me yesterday, sharing her own experience of using the cream during her first year. Apparently, our mender, Nolon, was occupied with classified... stuff, leaving us to handle minor injuries on our own.

      The sizable gash on my stomach throbbed, displaying various shades of purple and yellow. Kit had certainly not held back. My face wasn't faring any better, and even though it was already Saturday, the swelling had only just started to go down. The cream was doing wonders for the pain though.

      And it's not like I had any time to rest either. Aaric was relentless in pushing me to my limits. I appreciated his help and everything obviously, but I couldn't help longing for even just a small break.

      I paused, my attention snapping to the soft knock on the door. Glancing around the empty room, I hesitated before responding, "Uh, who is it?"

      "It's me," came a raspy, familiar male voice.

      "Xaden?" I exclaimed in surprise. Hastily, I placed the cream on the bed and stumbled towards the door. With a quick motion, I pulled it open to find my older brother standing there. His gaze immediately fell on the gash on my stomach, causing me to instinctively pull the bottom of my shirt out from where I had tucked it under my bra, covering up the bruise. I could see his jaw clenching with concern.

      "Hey," I said, my voice tinged with awkwardness.

      "Bodhi said you wanted to talk..." he said, his words trailing off.

      I let out a heavy sigh, feeling an invisible weight press against my chest. Leaning my forehead against the cool doorframe, I realized that I wasn't as prepared as I had thought to see him again. I guess time flies when you're in a death college.

      Xaden's voice broke through the awkward silence. He took a few steps back, his eyes filled with a flicker of excitement. "I have an idea," he said, a hint of anticipation in his voice. "Why don't we head to the sparring gym?"

      I raised an eyebrow, curious about his suggestion. He continued, his words laced with genuine concern. "It might do you some good to release all that pent-up anger, and I've heard you've been training hard. Trust me, I could also use the outlet myself," he added, his expression softening.

      I bit my lip, contemplating his proposal. The idea of channeling my emotions into something physical held a certain appeal. I raised my chin defiantly, meeting his gaze. "Bring it on, big brother."

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      "Are you sure you're up for this?" Xaden questioned, his eyes narrowing as he circled me on the mat, assessing.

      I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "I'll be fighting with these injuries on Monday anyway, so why not start preparing now?" I replied, stretching my arms to loosen up. Despite the injuries, I had pushed through the pain during my training sessions throughout the past week as well.

      Xaden nodded, a mix of concern and determination etched across his face. He let out a sigh and without wasting any more time, he made his move, swiftly advancing towards me.